Warning signs of stroke and how to prevent it

Most
of us are already familiar with this statement "prevention is better than
cure". It is not just an ordinary statement, but rather it is a call for
all hands to be on deck so as to avoid a future negative occurrence. In this
post, i will be revealing to you how important this statement is as regards a
very popular disease of our time called stroke. Stroke is a diseased condition
you will never wish to experience, but the good news is that it can be treated if
it is detected and addressed early enough. But how can you detect if someone is
having stroke, the answer is through the warning signs.

Research
have revealed that a whole lot of people suffer from stroke every year, and
many die from it. This report alone makes this brain-damaging condition
dreadful.

Of
course, stroke prevention is the best approach to lower the statistics, but the
problem will always exist. Still, medical experts say the number of deaths and
the number of people suffering significant health damage would be lower if we
all could spot the warning signs of stroke. before getting to the warning
signs, let us take a fast look of what stroke is all about.

What is a stroke?

A
stroke happens when the blood to the brain is cut off or reduced. This means
that the brain cannot get the required oxygen and nutrients. As a result, brain
cells start to die. When brain cells die and stroke occurs, both physical and
mental abilities controlled by the brain, including muscle and memory control,
can be lost.

After
a stroke, a person can be left with impaired judgement, impaired mobility,
perception difficulty, unusual emotions, significant speech impairment, memory
loss, and problems from neglecting the affected side of the body. Depending on
the area of the brain that is affected, the impairment can be mild or severe.

Signs of stroke in
women and men

Signs
of a stroke in men and women may slightly differ, but there are some general
common symptoms that occur in both genders. Unfortunately, many men are less
aware of the signs and symptoms of a stroke, compared to women, which increases
their risk of resulting complications. Therefore, it is important to recognize
the signs and symptoms that are listed below.

Sudden confusion
or trouble speaking

Numbness or
weakness of face, arm, and/or leg

Trouble seeing

Sudden trouble
walking, dizziness, and/or loss of balance

Severe headache

Think
FAST to spot a stroke

Communication
experts say that close to 90% of what we say comes from non-verbal cues. In other
words, our body language can tell people a lot. Spotting a stroke is like
reading body language.

The
key warning signs of stroke can be detected from the letters F-A-S-T. Now let
us look at their various meanings.

F
— stands for one side of the person’s Face dropping. It could be numb. Ask the
person to smile and see if they have an uneven smile.

A
– ask the person to raise both Arms. If one arm is weak or one arm drifts
downward, this is a sign.

S
– is the person’s Speech slurred? Can they speak at all?

T
– it is Time to call 911 if any of these symptoms occur. You should also check
the Time so you know when the signs started to happen.

Some
stroke sufferers will complain about other symptoms such as blurred or
blackened vision, as well as headache, dizziness or altered consciousness.
Stumbling and loss of balance can also be an early sign.

How to prevent stroke

Genetics
can play a role in stroke. However, just because a family member suffered a
stroke does not mean you will have a stroke. It can mean that you might be at a
higher risk for having one than a person who does not have a family history of
stroke.

Your
doctor can help you assess your lifestyle to reduce the risk factors. Medical
professionals agree that prevention is the key when it comes to avoiding
stroke. Below are few things you can do to avoid falling victim of a brain
attack:

Maintain
a healthy blood pressure: This is because high blood pressure is
the biggest contributor to the risk of stroke.

Lose
some weight: If you have a few extra pounds, it
turns out that losing as little as 10 can lower your stroke risk.

Exercise
more:
Studies show women who walk three hours a week are less likely to suffer a
stroke.

Drink
in moderation: Once you start drinking more than two
drinks per day, your risk goes up. Studies show, red wine should be your
first drink of choice when it comes to alcohol because it has
brain-protecting properties.

Quit
smoking: Smoking increases clot formation.

Treat diabetes.
High blood sugar over time can damage blood vessels, causing clots to
form.

Having
a stroke can be life altering, not only for the patient, but for family members
as well. In many cases, all aspects of life (social, physical, emotional,
financial) are thrown upside down when someone has a stroke.

It’s a hard road to travel,
but consider how easy it is to keep a FAST list as a reminder on your table or
in your wallet. Detecting a stroke early and getting them to the emergency room
quickly could be vital to survival and determining what quality of life the
person will have following rehabilitation

Warning signs of stroke and how to prevent it
Reviewed by Chibuzor Aguwa
on
11/17/2016 12:14:00 am
Rating: 5